Death toll rises to 12 after ship sinks off Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

The death toll from a ship that sank off Girne (Kyrenia) in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) last week rose to 12 after two more bodies were recovered, Prime Minister Unal Ustel said Friday.

"As a result of the work carried out last night, we reached two more female bodies. Thus, the number of bodies recovered from a depth of 554 meters has risen to four. The number of people who have died is now 12," Ustel said.

Ustel made the announcement at a news conference at Girne Port, where he provided an update on the search and rescue operation.

Search and rescue efforts remain underway as authorities work to locate 16 missing people.

The vessel sank Sunday while traveling from Girne Port toward Tasucu, Türkiye.

Round-the-clock operation

Ustel said agencies in the TRNC and Türkiye have continued round-the-clock efforts to locate those aboard.

Turkish Navy search and rescue vessel TCG Isin arrived at the site and joined the operation, followed by TCG Alemdar.

The search is being conducted at a depth of 554 meters (1,818 feet), making the operation particularly difficult, Ustel said.

"The wreck is at a depth of 554 meters, and people cannot descend to that depth to conduct search operations. The work is being carried out entirely by robots," he said.

Ustel said Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz visited the island the previous day, conveyed his condolences and delivered a message of sympathy from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He thanked personnel from the Turkish Naval Forces, Peace Forces Command and Security Forces Command, as well as military personnel aboard TCG Alemdar and other teams supporting the operation.

- Inquiry into accident planned

Ustel said he told families that difficult conditions at a depth of 554 meters meant the operation would take time and stressed that the search would continue until the last person was located.

He also said everyone responsible for the accident and resulting deaths, "from the lowest level to the highest level," would be held accountable under the law.

The TRNC's parliament, known as the Republic Assembly, is scheduled to reconvene in the first week of October.

Ustel said the government had already taken steps to launch a parliamentary investigation into the accident.

"Before we begin the normal opening of the Republic Assembly, we, as the government, are submitting a motion to our Republic Assembly to investigate this accident.

"We have also submitted our application as of yesterday for an investigative committee to be established in the Republic Assembly and for the work to begin there," he said.

Ustel said he would provide another update to the public and families later Friday.